HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT
PATRON
HRH The Duke of York KG KCVO
CHAIRMAN OF THE TRUSTEES
The Outward Bound Trust

Best Fabric Upholstery

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Editor’s comment

The Hannah Suite from TCS – one of a
dozen new suites, dining and cabinet
ranges to be launched at Interiors
Birmingham. Hall 4, Stand D12.
Tel: 00 353 42 9 351 351

Andrew Kidd
January 2009

Editor

Peter Green
Feminine tou
ch
Interiors Birm
ingham
Show guide

The Hannah
- from TCS

One of a do
zen new pro
ducts for 200
9
C A
RPETS

FURNITU
RE

RUGS

BEDS

L AMINA
TE

UPHOLS
TER Y

VINYL

NEW PRODUCTS A MUST
As I write this every day seems to bring news of the
collapse of another retail chain, with no sector seemingly
immune. From MFI to Woolworths and Morgan to The
Officers Club, retailers have been keeping accountants and
insolvency specialists busy over the (not so) festive period.
Thankfully other than MFI, no large furniture or flooring
retailer has succumbed (so far), but expansion plans and
dividends have been put on hold as companies look to
preserve cash. Amid the failures we have seen increased
occurrences of pre-pack administrations, where the
purchase of all or most of the chain has been agreed
before administration happens. Often this has been to the
people who owned it before the administration, leaving
creditors asking ‘What about us?’. Hopefully the
insolvency profession’s new rules on revealing who was
behind the appointment of an administrator will ease
suspicions that it is not simply a method of avoiding bills.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. As I have said before,
the demise of one company should create opportunities
for others. The important thing is to seize those
opportunities. Take for example Vale Upholstery’s
£100,000 Press and ITV advertising campaign during
January and February. It could have kept the money in the
bank but has decided marketing will bring more benefits
and has persuaded 200 stockists to join in.

And this month we get to see the products that will,
hopefully, be tempting shoppers over the next few months
at exhibitions such as Domotex, Interiors Birmingham and
IMM Cologne. With the economy as it is (and brace
yourselves for large price increases as the Pound continues
to drop) there is an understandable temptation to spend
less time at the shows or give them a miss altogether. This
would be the wrong decision.
There are still shoppers buying furniture and flooring
and the new products could be just the thing to bring
them into your store. One thing is certain, if you don’t
your competition will.

Sharp Ideas Ltd introduces the
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and real proposition for Independent Retailers...
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O £1/2 Billion of furniture is sold Online each year*
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Next issue
The January show round up:
Heimtextil, Domotex, Interiors
Birmingham and IMM Cologne
Brent Bedroom Set
White

A SELECTION OF SOME OF OUR FABULOUS NEW LINES
VISIT US ON OUR USUAL STAND B10 IN HALL 4 TO SEE THEM ALL
www.seconique.co.uk

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

5

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News

One in 10 high street stores
could be empty by the end of
this month. This was the
warning from credit
information company Experian
as retailers found that having
a long history and a
household name was no
deterrent to failure.
As Interiors Monthly went
to press, fears were growing
that December’s quarterly rent
day, which fell on Christmas
Day, would prove the final
straw for some retailers –
large and small – across the
country.
‘I’ve just finished paying for
the freehold, so that is one
less worry,’ says a leading
independent flooring retailer,
’but others won’t be so lucky.’
Administrators for The Pier
were continuing to hold a
closing down sale with little
sign of a buyer for the 48outlet chain. This was also the

fate suffered by MFI after its
second administration, with
the loss of 1,400 jobs. The
remaining Woolworths and
Big W stores were due to
close by 5 January unless an
11th hour deal was reached.
The situation of Cambridge
furniture and homewares
independent Haga is likely to
be mirrored by many. It went
into liquidation last month
following higher rents and
lower sales five months after
moving to 21,000sqft
premises.
In July it relocated from
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk to
the former Habitat store. But
sales were lower than
expected for the business
founded about seven years
ago by Shaun and Jeri Cooke.
‘They were expecting sales
to be higher because of higher
footfall but that did not
materialise, and the rent was

Vismedia

Fears that 10% of high street stores
‘will be empty by end of this month’

Retailers have been chasing shoppers

quite high,’ says Andrew
McTear, partner at liquidator
McTear Williams Wood.
‘The two directors are very
saddened by it. At one point
the business was very
successful and they have just
seen it deteriorate, I think

partly because of a general
slowdown in retail, partly
through changes in car
parking where they were in
Bury St Edmunds and latterly
because the trade was
nowhere near as they were
thinking at Cambridge.’

DFS boss cleared of road rage claim
Lord Kirkham stepped out of
the dock and sat in the well of
the court where he mouthed
‘thank you’ to the members of
the jury as they left Doncaster
Crown Court after they found
him not guilty of assault
occasioning actual bodily
harm.
The DFS executive chairman
had been accused of attacking
Keith Pearce in his home
village of Sprotbrough, South
Yorkshire, in April.
Kirkham told the court that
he had acted in self-defence
after Pearce attacked him.
After the trial Kirkham said:
‘I’ve always believed in the

6

British justice system – the
jury system. To be found not
guilty by 12 people is
absolutely magnificent.’
During the three-day trial,
the jury was told that Kirkham
was on his way to catch a
helicopter flight to London
when he encountered Pearce
at a road junction.
Pearce told the court he
was attacked after Kirkham
pulled in front of him and
blocked his way with his
Mercedes.
Kirkham said he had
stopped to let Pearce’s Fiat
Punto out of a junction and
was surprised when this was

Interiors Monthly January 2009

greeted with abuse from
Pearce.
He told the jury Pearce then
drove on before stopping and
getting out of his car and
banging on the roof of the
Mercedes.
‘I got out of the car because
I wanted to give him a piece
of my mind. I wanted to
remonstrate with him. Before
I could, he just ran at me.
He kicked me on my legs and
on my shins and on my knees.
It just took me by surprise and
I just flung out my arms at
him. The next thing I recall,
I had my knee on the ground
and he had my head in

a neck lock squeezing me.’
He said any injuries to
Pearce must have been caused
as he tried to defend himself.
Kirkham also told the court
that he had ‘made a terrible
mistake’ in getting out of
the car.
‘It’s a bit childish, isn’t it?
It’s not something someone
of 64 years of age, running a
big organisation and who
should be setting an example,
should do,’ he says.
The incident stopped when
the two were told to ‘pack it
in’ by another motorist.
Kirkham then got back in his
car and drove to his meeting.

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News
November sees reduced sales drop at United Carpets
The rate of United Carpets’
sales slowdown reduced in
November. Like for like sales in
the 11 weeks to 2 December
fell by 5.5% compared with a
fall of 6.4% in the six weeks to
28 October.
During the most recent
period, like for like flooring
sales dropped by 5% and beds
by 10.6%. The falls show how
United’s position at the value
end of the market – its
average sale is around £150 –

helped protect it from the
economic downturn for
longer than many of its rivals.
Like for like flooring sales had
been 4.9% higher in the year
to 30 September, with bed
sales up 6%.
Despite the increases, the
chain saw pre-tax profits
decline by 9.8% to £637,000
as the proportion of company
owned stores increased during
the year thanks to store
openings and taking

underperforming franchises
back into company ownership
before refranchising them.
Group sales rose by 5.9% to
£30.88m in the year.
As in 2007, no interim
dividend was paid to maintain
cash. At the end of the year it
had cash of £934,000.
‘While store numbers and
revenues have increased
significantly in comparison to
the comparable period in
2007, the tougher economic

climate has meant that it is
taking longer for new stores
to become established in the
market.
‘Furthermore, although we
have demonstrated a
capability to take back
underperforming franchisee
stores and turn them around
under the corporate arm, this
inevitably takes time and
adversely affects profit until
performance has been
improved,’ says the chain.

Warning for retailers as
Carpetright profits decline
Until consumers feel confident
about the banking system,
housing market and
unemployment the retail
market will not recover.
This was the verdict of Lord
Harris, Carpetright executive
chairman as he revealed a
67.1% drop in UK and
Republic of Ireland operating
profits and the chain’s first cut
in dividends.
‘Until two of those three
things are stable, things won’t
improve,’ he says.
In the six months to 1
November, UK sales fell by
11.1% to £194.6m with like
for like sales down 13%. UK

operating profits shrank to
£8.4m.
In contrast to United
Carpets, trading at Carpetright
was ‘below expectations in
November’. The interim
dividend is being cut from 22p
to 4p, saving the chain about
£16.7m.
During the six months,
more shoppers opted for
pre-cut carpet rather than
ordering specific sizes,
evidence the chain says, of
consumers looking to spend
less. Vinyl sales increased
thanks to new ranges and
improved service at the NDC.
The chain warned that the

continuing weakness of the
pound would hit second half
profits as the majority of its
products are not UK
manufactured.
Lord Harris demonstrated
the impact changes in
commodity prices such as oil
and yarn and currency rates
were having on the chain, by
highlighting the number of
price changes it has had to
make.
Usually about 500 prices are
changed every six months, but
in the past six months 10,000
prices had to be changed to
reflect the changing
circumstances.

Lord Harris

Although limited store
openings are expected in the
coming year because of the
economic downturn, the
chain will only conclude
property deals where rents are
paid monthly.
Carpetright has bank
facilities of £138m, net debt of
£81m and cash of £20.3m.

February 2009
Anglo French
cooperation
at its best

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

7

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News

Owner Tapis SaintMaclou puts Allied
Carpets up for sale
Allied Carpets, the UK’s
second largest flooring retailer,
has been put up for sale by its
French parent company Tapis
Saint-Maclou, after years of
losses.
Tapis, the largest flooring
retailer in France, has
appointed investment bank
Lazard to try to find a buyer
for the 220-store chain.
In the last financial year
Allied lost £6.8m from sales of
£206.8m. Analysts have
forecast a £20m loss for this
year.
Tapis bought Allied in
September 1999 for £84.2m.
Since then the business has
failed to challenge Carpetright
as the country’s largest
flooring retailer, or differentiate
itself from the market leader.
Carpetright founder Lord

Harris has warned repeatedly
about the health of the sector
(see p8).
With the difficulty in
obtaining funding for a
takeover because of the credit
crunch it seems unlikely that
Tapis will have to absorb a
large loss on the original
purchase price as well as the
ongoing losses if it is able to
find a buyer.
It is highly unlikely that Lord
Harris would be interested in
the chain. Carpetright is
already reducing its net
floorspace and competition
issues would almost certainly
prohibit a deal.
Tapis is understood to be
willing to continue to provide
support to Allied, eliminating
any short-term risk to the
chain’s survival.

Nathan

design manager, will continue
to head the living and dining
room sectors.

Roger Cribb (above) has
joined Vogue Beds as national
sales manager. In his 25-year
career in the bed industry,
Cribb has worked in retail as
well as for Cumfilux and
Silentnight.

Kingstown

Electricity shock for store
Wigan furniture retailer
Abitaire has had to pay
£48,000 to Npower after the
electricity supplier failed to
invoice the store for more
than three years.
Abitaire had been paying
Atlantic Energy and Gas, part
of Scottish & Southern.

The store has received an
£8,000 refund from Atlantic
but was forced to obtain an
overdraft to pay the Npower
bill.
The company said that this
has affected its credit rating,
making credit insurance more
expensive.

Heal’s cuts losses by 30%
Furniture and flooring chain
Heal’s has cut its losses by
almost 30%.
The seven-store chain
reduced pre-tax losses from
£4.8m to £3.4m in the year to
the end of September.
Sales dropped 1.7% to

8

£32m in the period.
‘While we believe that the
next 12 months will continue
to be a tough trading
environment, we expect to
continue to grow our online
business and improve
margins,’ says the chain.

Interiors Monthly January 2009

Ruth Wassermann joins Ercol
in the new role of design
manager, heading up the
company’s design team.
Wassermann was previously
chief designer and then
design manager at Willis &
Gambier.

Halo
Halo has appointed Andrew
Cussins, Sofa Workshop
founder, as head of upholstery
and Robert Begg, md of
three-store central Scotland
furniture chain Olympian, to
a similar role covering
bedroom. Caroline Hoyle,

Richard Sharp (above),
Kingstown Furniture
operations director has been
promoted to md, succeeding
his father and company
founder, Mike. Richard
joined the company in 2004
as national sales manager,
becoming operations
director two years later.
Mike Sharp becomes chief
executive of Kingstown
Holdings.

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News

Retailers offered chance to sell
online without back office hassle
Independent furniture retailers
have been offered the
opportunity to move online
without having to handle
back office operations.
Flooring retailers have
embraced Yourfloors.co.uk as
a way to sell online and
buying groups are looking to
develop their members’
Internet presence, while large
furniture and homewares
retailers have signed up to the
MyDeco.com portal.
This has left retailers with
the choice of promoting a
website offering only
information in the hope that it
draws consumers in-store, or
investing in transactional
websites without really
wanting to provide
nationwide delivery.
The Yourdepartmentstore
concept offers customised
transactional websites for
independent retailers without
them being involved with the
back office administration or
deliveries.
Yourdepartmentstore is the
brainchild of Ruddiman
Furniture chairman David
Ruddiman. ‘Three years ago
we started selling some of our
returned items online. Within
the space of a few months
this trading had developed
into the equivalent turnover
of some of our smaller, but
reasonably sized, customers.
This overcame my belief that
you could not sell furniture on
the Internet.’
At the same time Ruddiman
was approached to run
another website that had a
separate website and platform
but wanted his Sharp Ideas
Internet company to handle
customer service, fulfilment

10

Ten retailers are using yourdepartmentstore.co.uk

and product sourcing. But the
online business was being run
from two different platforms
duplicating workload,
meaning descriptions had to
written twice and
photographs resized twice
and so on. It was at this point
Ruddiman thought of
Yourdepartmentstore,
developing a platform that
could run multiple websites
from one back office.
According to Ruddiman,

Interiors Monthly January 2009

four issues prevent
independents selling online:
1 Moving from a delivery
network focused on local
deliveries to national
deliveries.
2 The resource to write
descriptions and photograph
the products.
3 To sell higher ticket furniture
more than a two line
description is needed. This is
time consuming, especially as
these descriptions need to be

written in such a way that
Google search engines will
understand them
4 Out of hours customer
service. Many sales are made
when shops are closed, 40%
of online sales on the peak
trading day for Christmas – 8
December – were made
before 9am or after 5pm.
‘All in all it might only cost a
retailer £8,000 to £10,000 to
commission a credible
website, but to populate it
with products and turn it into
a successful business able to
fulfil direct to customers all
over the country costs over
£45,000 in the first year,’ says
Ruddiman.
Yourdepartmentstore offers
1,500 products from which
retailers can pick groups to
suit their customer profile.
Suppliers include Rest Assured,
Silentnight, GFA, Furnico,
Kingstown, Lay-Z-Boy and
Cavendish.
‘Critical to the success of
running an Internet site is
viewing it as a marketing
platform for the bricks and
mortar store as well. Each
retailer has an account
manager working with them.
For instance, MacDonalds of
York has a £50 voucher on the
website if you spend £500 instore, driving shoppers instore. Ponsford’s Furniture For
Less store used the website to
advertise its 14 December sale
with a countdown timer and
offered a brochure of its instore offers to be viewed
online.’
Product sourcing is handled
by Mike Quaife, while Jeremy
Paterson, operations director,
previously headed Amazon’s
UK home and garden section.

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Furniture profile

PETER GREEN
FEMININE TOUCH
The retailer’s new md hopes to have a
greater understanding of her customers

The Reading store covers 30,000sqft

Susan Noone, Peter Green md is
overseeing something of a quiet
revolution at the retailer. Founded by
Peter and Norah Green with £150, it
has stores in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire
and Reading, Berkshire. Now 53 years
after its foundation, Noone hopes her
gender will give her a greater
understanding of its customers.
Having invested in research, she is
certain of who her customers are and
what they want.
‘She would be looking for quality,
something different and a fair price. We
invested in customer research before we
updated the POS into what shoppers
wanted, what they thought of us and
where we were getting customers from
and where we weren’t. It’s about being a
bit more professional that just gut feel,’
she explains.
Noone was finance director for six

12

Interiors Monthly January 2009

Susan Noone and David Gudgeon, Reading manager

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Furniture profile

years, then joint md from February to
September last year.
‘Coming from a finance background it
holds the business in good stead during
these challenging times. You understand
the architecture of the business, it’s
almost like a bowl of spaghetti – if you
pull that, what will be the reaction all
around? And from a female perspective,
our research shows 85% of purchases are
driven by women. I like to think I’m
putting a different emphasis on the
business that is much more focused on
shopping, theatre, using all the senses,
and focusing on what is in the
customers’ mind.’
Noone wants Peter Green to be more
of a destination store, so customers can
take their time looking around.
‘One of the things we have above a lot
of other retailers is that we don’t want
our customers to feel pressured.
Especially in current times, you walk into
a furniture store and you are pounced
on. It’s such a big [purchasing] decision
that the less pressure you put on the
customer and the more you encourage
them to stay in the store, the greater the
likelihood that they will make the
purchase. I know that it’s a big decision
and if I feel under pressure I’ll just leave
the store,’ she says.
To encourage people to stay longer, a
customer area has been created,
complete with magazines, muffins,
croissants and ‘real coffee with proper
cups’. And an accessory section has been
introduced at the Reading store to
encourage repeat visits and generate
new sales. ‘If you can’t afford to change a
room with, say, a new sofa you can
change the look by accessorising it,’
explains Noone.
A revised store layout with fewer
products on the floor is due to be
introduced this month at the Chandlers

14

Interiors Monthly January 2009

The company has revamped its POS

Ford store, followed by Reading.
‘We want to make it easier to match up
products, which makes it more likely they
will buy everything. The store tells a
story, but we can tell it better.
‘We have only recently given thought
to who our customer is and are now
tailoring our marketing around that,’
she says.
This has included updating its POS and
creating a ‘face’ of Peter Green, with
plans to use the same model in future
campaigns.

‘We’re hoping what she represents is
stylish, elegant and ageless, so it appeals
across the age ranges. If you look at our
products we have a wide variety to suit
different tastes.’
While 90% of the products are the
same at both stores, the Chandlers Ford
branch also sells flooring. At Reading
this has been held back by a lack of
suitable storage and recruiting a network
of fitters.
Noone is hoping to attract more
shoppers from north of Reading

through marketing in country magazines
and becoming move involved in local
events.
‘At Chandlers Ford we are looked on as
an endeared brand and part of the family,
so we want to start building up those
relationships in the Reading community
by being involved in community events.’
An interior design service is to be
introduced, initially one evening a week.
‘For most people, including myself,
choosing what will go with what is
very difficult, not only colours and style,
but the size of the room. If the customer
has an expert to refer to it also helps
the sale. It’s also an opportunity for addon sales. I think people will be more
daring if they have an interior designer,
otherwise they will go for cream and
brown,’ says Noone.
‘Our goal is to inspire people to live in
beautiful homes and be as comfortable as
possible. If we can inspire them it will
build customer loyalty – and provide a
plus one experience where we exceed
expectations.’
G Plan Upholstery is the largest selling
brand, followed by Ercol and Ekornes.
While upholstery is the greatest sector,
the Reading store is one of the largest

16

Interiors Monthly January 2009

cabinet retailers in the area as the town
has a high number of upholstery
specialists.
‘With the economic situation customers
are going to be more discerning so we
need to give them extras besides just
price. A lot of retailers have lost sight of
profit and loss now – it’s just getting the
cash in. Fortunately a lot of them don’t

have the brands we have,’ says Noone.
‘Because furniture is a fashion item it’s
not all about price. Price is a factor, but is
it different? Is it stylish? Does it have
quality? Those are all aspects. We’ve
been quite brave with our USP because
we’ve gone with an extremely stylish
look but we feel it’s the right track to
go down.’

The store tells a story ‘but we can tell it better’ says Noone

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Flooring profile

THE ORIENTAL RUG SHOP
SOUND INVESTMENT
As well as their decorative quality, Iranian rugs
have proven to be a financial safe haven

Between 7,000 and 8,000 rugs are kept in stock

18

Interiors Monthly January 2009

Most flooring and furniture is not bought
as an investment in the future, it is
bought for its immediate use. However,
when it comes to Persian rugs it is a
different story.
‘The price of Iranian rugs has risen
quite strongly in the past three to four
years on fears that there would have
been a trade embargo against Iran. And
with the weakness of the pound against
the US dollar it’ll continue,’ says Michael
Fweenie, owner of The Oriental Rug
Shop in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
As well as for their decorative and
functional characteristics, some customers
have been buying the rugs as
investments. Fweenie tells how one
customer recently bought a rug for
£12,000, another for £6,000 and a
£7,000 runner. He made the comment
that: ‘The value of my house is going
down, my shares are going down, I may
as well put some money in something
that is going the other way.’
Such is Fweenie’s faith in the rugs at
least holding their value, that customers
can bring back rugs and receive their
purchase price against new buys as long
as they spend 25% more. ‘We do lose
out on some of the cheaper rugs coming
back, but tend to win on the better
ones,’ he says.
Unlike with other types of flooring, age
isn’t an issue. Indeed village or nomadic
rugs are likely to be decades old before
they reach the market.
‘The majority of English taste is for
something a little bit more mellow, there
tends to be a premium on softer colours.
Nomadic rugs are generally quite strong
in colour when they are first produced
and Iranian taste itself is for rich, bright
colours. That rug will go into the house
and be used,’ he explains.
‘City rugs on the other hand, which are
the very fine, formal elegant designs, are

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Page 19

Flooring profile

‘We always like to
be able to offer the
highest quality
example we can
find of any
particular type’
woven by professional weavers and
usually come on to the market new,
whereas the village and nomadic rugs
would be at least 20 years old before the
colour is soft enough to be generally
suitable for our market.’
ORS, founded in 1983 by Fweenie, sells
Iranian rugs priced from £595 to £15,000
and Afghan rugs from £18 to £300.
‘We always like to be able to offer the
highest quality example we can find of
any particular type. So although it may
be a simple village rug, it’ll be a first class
example from that village. It’s always
better to buy a first class example of
something that is ostensibly lower down
the pecking order than a second rate
example of a supposedly great name.’
He says one of the things that strikes
you in Iran is the very large proportion of
rugs he wouldn’t even consider stocking.
Despite the state of the economy, ORS
is fareing better than some retailers. The
first quarter of the year was the worst,
Fweenie says, thinking that was the
onset of the economic downturn. But it
was exaggerated by the fact that kerb
stones in the street were being replaced.
While this will not affect a jeweller or a
clothes store so much, it is a problem for
a rug store if a customer cannot get their
car outside the store to take a rug away
to try, or the business cannot get to its
transport to deliver.
‘Two years ago when I reached 65

Iranian taste is for rich bright colours, with green regarded as sacred

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

19

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Flooring profile

‘A very large
part of our
business is
repeat
custom. The
hardest rug
to sell is the
first one’
The store guarantees prices for part exchange

we had a retirement sale and that was
the first sale we’d had in 26 years – if
something holds its value you are unlikely
to be marketing at half price. That year
we were 26% up and last year we added
10% to that, so this year we are down a
bit, but I don’t think we are affected to
the same extent other businesses are.
‘The middle market is obviously income
driven but when you get to the very top
end it’s capital driven. One of my wealthy
customers said: “It’s no use telling your
staff they have to cut down and it’s
going to be tough, then going out and
buying yourself a new Bentley”.’
ORS is probably selling fewer rugs in
the £1,500 to £2,000 range but it is not
an elitist business. ‘We have a very
upmarket upper end, but have never
failed to keep the very inexpensive range
of rugs and those are chosen with as
much care as the very expensive pieces.
Our mats also have to reflect the store.
‘A very large part of our business is
repeat custom. The hardest rug to sell is
the first one.’

Michael Fweenie (left) founded the company in 1983

20

Interiors Monthly January 2009

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MAKE MOVING
HEAVY FURNITURE
CHILDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLAY

Whether you want to rearrange the living
room, vacuum under your sofa, move that king
size bed or even the fridge, Hide Aid
Furniture Sliders make light work of these
everyday tasks.

CARPET PROTECTION

So if you want to protect the significant
investment you have made in both your
furniture and floors and avoid the risk of
personal injury when moving furniture, all you
need to do is invest a few pounds today in a set
of Hide Aid Furniture Sliders.

5
1 With its slender tapering legs,
the modern, bold design of the
Himalia exudes a subtle sense of
simplicity juxtaposed with
contemporary chic. It combines
the elegance and sophistication of
faux leather with the affordability
associated with Limelight’s
extensive range of bed frames.
Tel: 01455 850 150.
2 Made from 100% easy care,
hard-wearing polyester, Cormar
Carpets’ Heavenly is a 1/8th
gauge carpet, tufted at 24oz
featuring a luxurious deep pile in
12 plain and flecked colours. Soft
and gentle pastels add a fresh
modern touch while the core of
natural beiges bring a classic feel.
Tel: 01204 881 234.
3 Classically designed yet with
clean simple lines the Nimes range
will fit any bedroom style. Finished
in a warm chestnut colour that
enhances and highlights the

22

Interiors Monthly January 2009

beautiful wood grain, Nimes is
one of five bedroom and three
dining ranges from Woodside
Furniture. Tel: 0114 2290 741;
www.woodsidefurniture.co.uk.
4 Offered in plain and berber
styles, Mohawk Group’s
Knightsbridge is made from 100%
Durasoft nylon for a soft to the
touch feel that also provides
performance for the busiest areas
of the home. This long cut pile
style is suitable for bedrooms,
living rooms and everywhere in
between. Tel: 01480 479 830.
5 Following last year’s launch of
the Onit cabinet ranges, TCS will
add more collections to its
immense product range at
Interiors Birmingham. These
combine quality and value with
styling that through research and
market testing, promise to bring
customer satisfaction.
Tel: 00 353 42 9351 351.

4

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NO NEED FOR
DAMAGED FLOORS

PROTECT THEM FOR PENNIES
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WHEN YOU CAN SUPPLY THEM YOURSELF
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• Keep a roll in your delivery van
• Save Thousands ££££’s in claims from unhappy customers

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Tel: 08454 70 66 70 Fax: 01942 271271
www.stroolmount.co.uk

Email: info@stroolmount.co.uk

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New products

6

10

7

6 The Multifire LE freestanding electric
suite from Dimplex provides a quick and
easy way to give a room an instant lift
as no specialist installation is required.
The suite combines the top-selling
Optiflame flame effect with a glowing
log bed and a specially designed stoneeffect surround. Tel: 014 897 73336.
7 Infinite is one of the fastest selling
modern acrylic ranges in the UK. Rugs
with Flair has a large collection of
designs in high fashion colours. With
seven colour variations, Damask has
been nominated as Home Product of
the Year in the Spring Fair 2009 awards.
The company is on stand K56.
Tel: 0161 320 2530.
8 There are three models of Repose’s
Flexirole mattress – Dream, Luxury and
Memory. An enhanced high density

9
24

Interiors Monthly January 2009

polyurethane foam with a high-resilience
core provide optimum comfort. Luxury
has extra layers of comfort while the
Memory has an added layer of memory
foam. Tel: 01455 841 257.
9 Seconique’s Arcadia bedroom range,
to be launched at Interiors Birmingham,
is white with ash tops and bases. The
range comprises two or three-door
wardrobes, bedside chests, a selection
of chests of drawers and matching bed.
Tel: 0121 506 4841.
10 Gaskell Mackay Carpets has given
National Trust’s Museum of Childhood
in Sudbury a facelift. Designs, including
a dragon embedded into the weave of
the carpet, provide a focal point. An
80% wool/20% nylon blend of Infinity
axminster carpet was used.
Tel: 01429 892 555.

8

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New products

12

11
15
13
14
11 The Ashford range from Seconique comprises a dining set,
sideboard with sliding doors and an interesting selection of
matching occasional pieces including a coffee table with dual
opening drawers. Tel: 0121 506 4841.
12 Classic Furniture specialises in gilded and painted finishes,
bespoke furniture and upholstery. Its furniture is hand-made
and hand-carved and represents antiques of the future.
Interiors Birmingham will see the launch of a range of
contemporary bombe chests and gilded bedroom furniture in
Hall 4 stand D47. Tel: 01746 781 118.
13 Pinetum, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this month,
has completed the Como oak bedroom range with the
introduction of a bed. It has also launched an upholstered
model of its Paris bedstead (pictured) to the Quercus and
Como ranges. See it at Interiors Birmingham in Hall 4 stand A6.
Tel: 01985 216 160.
14 New Year, New Beginnings: the latest collection of rugs

26

Interiors Monthly January 2009

from The Plantation Rug Company. Available in four
contemporary designs, boasting designer-inspired patterns
comprising abstract squares, seventies swirls and bold, graphic
flowers they are power-loomed in 100% polypropylene.
Tel: 0161 430 8700; www.plantationrug.co.uk.
15 Contemporary Natural is a range of audio-visual
furniture from Alphason and Studio Conran. The first two
pieces combine real wood veneers with on-trend satin
white. Delivery direct to the consumer is two weeks.
Tel: 0845 130 6686.

PATTERN FOR THE FUTURE
TOP END STARTER
Patterned carpet designs are making
a comeback – at the top end

Mohawk’s Karastan Exotics in Leopard

28

Interiors Monthly January 2009

If you ask anyone over the age of 30
what patterned carpet means to them
most will probably describe the living
rooms of their parents or grandparents –
large swirls or floral patterns in, frankly,
quite garish colours. Is it any wonder that
the past few generations of shoppers
have rejected the styles of their childhood
in favour of something much safer, such
as plains.
However there are signs that this could
be about to change, in the medium-term
at least. Patterns are making a comeback
at the top end, but can they follow the
line of stripes into the mass market?
‘The patterned carpets will gain a share
in the market, especially now, when
some companies offer bespoke design
and colours of the carpets. This way, our
customers can create a very individual
look, a “statement” in their home,’ says
Lana Filippova, Gallery 22 designer in
Hale, Cheshire.
However she is quick to add an
important caveat: ‘They prefer this mainly
in the rooms where they don’t spend too
much time. They work well in halls, on
the stairs and landings, where perhaps
there are not as many other pieces of
furniture of soft furnishings that
contribute to the overall look. This is a
wow factor, that people like to have in an
otherwise bland space.’
Kevin O Connor, Top Class Floors
director in Donabate, County Dublin has
seen patterned designs leading an upturn
in carpet sales, whereas in the past
demand was for wood floors.
Gary Garner, Avalon Flooring owner in
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, thinks
a lack of designs is holding back demand.
‘You still have to be over 65 to appreciate
a good pattern. There are not many
designs with small motifs – either cheap
polypropylenes or expensive axminsters –
no manufacturer has a nice product

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Carpet
in the £16 to £25sq m range.’
In Leicestershire, customers have yet to
move on to patterns, says Simon Hall,
Hallsorts Carpets partner in Melton
Mowbray, where top-sellers are twist pile
with different flecks of colour, rather than
plains. But: ‘many people are tending to
choose striped runners for the stairs.’
Some may question whether patterns
have been introduced through demand
or just because companies want a
change. If it is the latter, combined with
media cover, demand can be created.
‘As it becomes seen in more magazines,
on more TV shows and in more shop
windows it will undoubtedly become
popular once again,’ says Howard
Lindsay, Mohawk Group residential
division sales manager. The January issue
of BBC Homes & Antiques for example,
devotes several pages to patterned
carpet, declaring: ‘It’s official, pattern and
colour are back underfoot’.
Francis Debrabandere, Lano Carpets UK
sales manager says there are indications
of a movement back to pattern at the
premium end of the segment where
buyers tend to be more adventurous in
their use of colour and texture.
‘While there is much talk about pattern
and how it is gaining in popularity, we

Will patterns follow stripes, such as Crucial Trading’s Chicago?

see little hard evidence of this at mid to
low price points, where twist piles and
chunky loop pile textures in neutral tones
are still the overriding factor.’
But Lindsay says: ‘While the
mainstream is devoid of any real shift

away from plain styles, apart from the
introduction of texture, the premium end
of the market is awash with pattern.’
‘The Karastan brand is positioned at
the more experimental end of the
carpet sector, bringing premium

Pattern points
Patterned carpet provides more
flexibility when matching other
furnishing materials. Accents can be
added to the colour scheme by picking
out colours from the pattern.
Large dominant patterns can act as a
focal point for the room. However, large
patterns are not suitable for smaller
rooms, as they can make them appear
cluttered and even smaller.
Mid-scale patterns provide a degree
of visual interest, while small scale
patterns add an overall texture to the
room.
Do not mix the same scale of style of
pattern in one room. If mixing lots of
patterns, maintain a common colour
theme. Using patterned walls and
patterned carpets together can create a
confusing effect.
Source: Axminster Carpets

Carpet
quality and some of the most unusual
carpets currently in the market. For
Karastan, pattern is a way of life and so
we hope that its introduction into the UK
will inspire consumers to think of carpet
in a far more creative way.’
Debrabandere says: ‘We have certainly
noticed a shift away from traditional
designs and contemporary influences can
now be seen clearly in both the pattern
and colours used. These patterns are
appearing at all sorts of price points and
while there should always be an option
there, the mid and low-end sectors are
not a natural home to patterned carpet
and so our efforts are firmly focused at
the premium end of the sector.’
Lindsay agrees that pattern will never
be as popular as plains, but argues it has
other values.
‘Pattern in carpet is more about
aspiration than high volume sales and
this is why we see its development at the
higher price points – it has yet to truly
filter down to mid and low sectors – and
indeed, it may never bridge the gap to
first time buyers and young families. Our
patterned carpets even go to the extent
of tiger stripes and leopard spots, yet
these are far more likely to provoke
interest than be a bestseller. However, the
majority of our designs will add drama to
any interior.’
Lindsay believes retailers should push
pattern because acts as an inspiration to
how creative the floor can be. ‘A window
adorned with designs such as our William
Morris Trellis to the stunning black of
Tryst entice people in-store, despite their
eventual choice being a heavily textured
plain carpet in a neutral colour.’
The slowdown in the housing market
could also see pattern grow in popularity,
according to Inga Morris, Crucial Trading
marketing manager.
‘We see the trend for patterned carpets
accelerating in the next few years as
consumers decorate to please their own
tastes, rather than for resale,’ she says.
‘Audrey is a great product for the
exuberant decorator – it’s definitely a
floorcovering to design a room around!’
Ossfloor has launched two patterned
Wilton carpets. Masterpiece is a 100%
heatset polypropylene in a classical floral
scroll complemented with a traditional
panel design, while Artistic Touch is 88%

32

Interiors Monthly January 2009

polypropylene and 12% acrylic and
available in eight colourways.
If pattern is synonymous with one
word, it is axminster. ‘There is certainly a
great deal more interest in carpet as part
of the interior decor rather than just as a
backdrop, and pattern is an obvious way
to reflect the overall ambience of the
home. However, we are not seeing a
return to the usual traditional axminster
styles and instead we are witnessing a
demand for interpretations on a theme,’
says Richard Lawrence, Axminster Carpets
marketing manager.
Patterns becoming popular now still
bear evidence of consumers holding on
to the influence of natural tones and are

delicate and intricate rather than bold
with less contrast between the pattern
and the backdrop tone.
‘A prime example of this is our Torbay
Persian Lace, which takes a traditional
Persian design and adds a present day
colouring,’ he says.
‘While certainly not created for
minimalist interiors, it is the perfect
antidote for traditional and period
properties looking to reminisce, but
not at the expense of neutral colours
and subtle overall tones. It is not
only traditional styled homes where
we see pattern at its strongest, as
designs to make progress to more
contemporary interiors.’

LIFETIME IMPACT
DON’T GREENWASH
Companies should not just stress the positive aspects
of their products but measure the total impact

Although the
environment is taking
a back seat to the
economy, its
importance will not go
away and companies
must continue to
follow environmentally
green policies.
This is the message
from Edo Rem, Forbo
Flooring Systems head
of product
management. He says
pressure continues to
grow on companies to
focus on sustainable
production and
becoming more
environmentally
aware.
‘In order to meet
these demands,
manufacturers must be
able to demonstrate
that not only are their
products made in a
sustainable way, but
supply processes are
monitored to ensure
the complete lifecycle
[of a product] is as
environmentally responsible as possible.
The constant revision and introduction of
improved environmentally responsible
practices should be at the very core of a
manufacturer’s processes. Manufacturers
should not see investment required to
improve their environmental performance
as a cost of doing business, but rather an
investment for our future,’ he says.
Producers are quick to draw attention
to the favourable aspects of a product in
relation to sustainability, he says, but
often fail to mention any less favourable
consequences – so called greenwashing.

34

Interiors Monthly January 2009

production,
distribution,
installation, use,
maintenance and
recycling to disposal.
Rem says that it is
not simply a matter of
keeping an eye on
raw materials. ‘The
same approach must
be taken for the
complete lifecycle of a
product. From
production,
installation, use and
maintenance –
including the use of
cleaning products and
water – until the end
of its useful life. How
long does the product
last and what impact
does it have at
replacement?
He says lifecycle
assessment studies
should evolve with
the development of
products in such a
way that the
Linoleum has high green credentials customers’ preference
for quality is balanced
with minimising the impact on the
He cites the example of ceramic tiles,
environment.’
which could be seen as environmentally
Rem obviously highlights the
friendly thanks to their durability and use
environmental credentials of linoleum,
of natural materials. But he says once the
the cornerstone of Forbo’s products, but
energy needed for production and
says being seen to be green has become
handling are factored in, it is ‘very
important for all businesses.
environmentally unsound’.
‘To enable customers to separate the
This wider impact must be measured to
genuinely “green” companies and
compare the impact of products.
products from those that merely make
Independent lifecycle assessment studies
the claim, they must be able to access
are crucial in measuring a product’s true
independent, accredited information and
eco-credentials. These investigate the
ask the questions that we, as
impact of a product from cradle to grave:
manufacturers should be able to answer.’
from raw materials, pre-processing,

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INTERIORS
BIRMINGHAM

NEW FRESCO
Back to the future for G Plan
C ARPETS

FURNITURE

RUGS

BEDS

L AMINATE

UPHOLSTER Y

VINYL

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For the complete picture of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new for 2009
visit us on stand D2, Hall 5 at the Interiors Show, NEC, Birmingham.
See you there.

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Show guide

INTERIORS BIRMINGHAM
INSPIRE AND INVIGORATE

TCS

Kingstown Furniture

As well as the hundreds of exhibitors taking part,
seminars and presentations will offer valuable advice

Interiors Birmingham has something for everyone in the industry

If the hundreds of exhibitors taking part
in Interiors Birmingham (18-21 January)
is not enough, the show also has a series
of seminars and presentations to keep
visitors informed.
The Interiors Hub in Hall 2 will host
unique trends forecasts, Material Lab,
DesignersBlock, Design Britain and the
seminars.
Birmingham City University is offering a
new creative twist to Global Color’s
Trends Forecast with the installation of
four trend pavilions produced by its MA
and BA students from interior, textile and
product design.
Aimed to engage and inspire the
imagination, this highly visual display
seeks to stretch and engage individuals
who want to appreciate the future trends
for interiors.
To complete the trend forecast
offering Global Color Research – Mix
publications will present trend forecast
seminars within the seminar theatre on

19 January at noon and 2pm.
A key offering of the Interiors Hub, to
be seen outside of London for the first
time, is the award winning Material Lab.
In January 2006 H&R Johnson, leading
manufacturer and supplier of ceramic
tiles in the UK, created and opened the
design resource centre in London.
Replicated at Interiors Birmingham
will be an environment where products
such as ceramics, glass, wallpaper, carpet
tiles, trims, eco-resins, fabrics and many
more materials can be explored with
expert advice on hand.
DesignersBlock and friends return in
2009. This year the renowned exhibition
curators will showcase furniture, lighting,
and textiles, providing an optimistic
glimpse of the trends and trend makers.
Featured designers and designer
brands include, Arabeschi Di Latte,
Caroline Saul, Ercol, Haidee Drew,
Jo Angell, Kathy Schicker, Re-Silicone,
Seung-Kwan No, SCP, Sophie Hedderwick,

Studio Roam, Timorous Beasties and Tea
un Kim.
And Magazine is a celebration of
design inspiration, with a focus on
exploring design cities, which can be
used as a tool to stimulate and bring
out the best in the industry. It is
available free.
Design Britain will feature work by
the key protagonists and design icons
from the 1930s to the present day. The
exhibition will spotlight work by some of
the UK’s leading designers including,
Robin & Lucien Day, Earnest Race,
Kenneth Grange, Jasper Morrison,
Ed Barber & Jay Osgerby and new talents
Ed Carpenter and Alexander Taylor.
The exhibition will consist of a timeline
highlighting some of the key products
and people of the past 70-plus years.
Presentations from Elle Decoration,
Global Color Research, Light IQ and
Ikea will feature in the seminar
programme.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Vision for the future,
Willis & Gambier has a new management team, an exciting marketing
strategy and a range of stylish new products
n 2009, the industry will be facing
tough market conditions and rising
to the challenges they will bring.
Willis & Gambier is responding through
efﬁciency and new developments in
products and promotional activity – changes
targeted to add value to retailers.
The company was recently acquired by
Samson Holding Ltd, a public company with
its shares listed on the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange, best known for its manufacturing
brand Lacquer Craft, and has appointed
Mark Symes as managing director.

I

Design for the times
Another new appointment is head of design
Lucy Watson, who is behind the exciting
new launches at Interiors Birmingham
2009. Willis & Gambier’s range of furniture
is perfectly suited to 21st century living,
and Lucy and her teams of designers and
technicians have used their expertise,
imagination and passion to create designs
that provide both style and practicality in
any setting.

The company’s core values are to
produce beautifully designed furniture
using appropriate woods and a mixture
of solid and veneered ﬁnishes, and to
offer the customer long-lasting furniture at
inexpensive prices.
New for 2009 is the Versailles Collection,
inspired by the highly successful Louis
Phillipe Collection. This classic range
combines rich, mahogany tones with an
impressive, classic design. The pieces are
impressive, unfussy and ideal for both town
and country settings.
Also launching this year is the Chiltern
Collection: rustic pieces crafted from
warm oak.

The collection comprises two distinct
ranges, one more traditional in design and
the other more contemporary.
An exciting new dining range will delight
customers who love modern elegance in
their homes. The chunky, contemporary
pieces are crafted from oak with black
marble inset panels, fashioned to provide a
harmonious ﬂow of design from a modern
kitchen to the dining area.
“The key to the company’s continuing
success will be remodelling our classic

values from the past
styles and diversifying our ranges,” says
Lucy. “The hugely popular Vintage Oak
Collection of country farmhouse-style
dining furniture is expanding into collectable
pieces such as side tables and CD storage
units. We are also adding to the Escana
Dining Collection – cubistic pieces crafted
from solid oak, including a chair and a
sideboard. The French-inﬂuenced Chambery
Collection is gaining a two-door cabinet, an
upholstered chair and a sideboard.”
These new ranges and pieces will
provide both style and practicality in any
An extensive media campaign
and a return to the full colour
product brochure
Furn
iture

nitu
Fur

ZAN

Z IB A

des
igne
d fo
r life

ned
esig
re d

RC
OLL

ECT

life
for

IO N

setting, ensuring that Willis & Gambier
remains the biggest supplier of premium
furniture in the UK.

Market forces
Backing up Willis & Gambier’s quality
products and outstanding service is an
exciting marketing and promotional strategy.
Willis & Gambier enjoys a reputation in the
industry for excellent products and service
that stands out; it’s also a trusted brand with
a loyal customer base. However, in order to
prosper and thrive in the future, the company
will build upon and broaden its market share,
to include multi-chain retailers, supermarkets,
club retailers and contracts.
To make the established Willis & Gambier
brand familiar to a wider segment of the
market, the company has developed a

wide-ranging marketing plan for 2009.
It includes new in-store and point-of-sale
material; an extensive above-the-line media
campaign, which includes advertisements
and inserts in leading industry and consumer
publications; a return to the traditional
full-colour product brochure; and the launch
of a quarterly newsletter for retailers.
The 2009 marketing plan incorporates
focussed consumer promotions, and
advertising and support for retail events.
Willis & Gambier is ﬁnancially strong
and looking to grow. The company has
the conﬁdence and trust of its retail clients
and a strong and energetic sales team.
In addition to a host of new initiatives
for 2009, it will continue to offer empathy,
understanding and support to existing
customers.

The full Cameo Bedroom Range in Stone White lacquer, one of our best sellers, will be
exhibited at the NEC along with some pioneering new matching kiddies options. You will
love our new Digger and Castle Beds which have been designed for the sub teenage
market. As usual Julian Bowen will be showing some very exciting new products across
all ranges but don't miss our 'BASICS' collection of moderately priced fast movers.
DON'T FORGET THAT WE DO NOT OPERATE A MINIMUM ORDER RESTRICTION.
Any order, however small, is gratefully received and delivered free of charge in the UK
mainland & Southern Ireland. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to visit us at the NEC Hall 3 stand C 80.

*These prices are available on £4,000 orders for the duration of the show subject to maximum number of items

KettleInteriors_JanuaryShow_1pp.indd 1

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Show guide

HALL 1

More Inspirational products from Halo

Visit

Halo’s Signature Collections in HALL 4 STAND A1
and

Halo’s Sofa Collection in HALL 1 STAND D45
46

Interiors Monthly January 2009

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Valencay
CLASSIC ELEGANCE

A rich mahogany collection in a classic French style
For more details about Valencay or the other ranges in our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boudoir Collectionâ&#x20AC;?
go to www.alstons.co.uk, call 01473 277202 or email boudoir@alstons.co.uk

Norwegians enjoy stunning landscapes and natural environment and
these factors are never far from the everyday elements of the living
space. Purity and clean lines are the common factors drawn from
surrounding nature that are the essence of Norwegian Lifestyle.

Fjords designers create the products but you can adapt them to your
needs by choosing colours and textures. The collections allow you to
create the identity you want in your home.
HJELLEGJERDE UK LTD
5 Heron Gate, Hankridge Way, Taunton, TA1 2LR
sales@fjordsuk.co.uk

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

www.fjords.no

57

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Living and dining

ETHNICRAFT
SOLID BASE
Simple contemporary design and natural
qualities are all important for one company

Cabinet firm Ethnicraft has coined a
word to describe its furniture:
emorational â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rational by design,
emotional by the materials used.
And it is this combination of
Oak, such as the Horizon range, is a bestseller in the UK

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Living and dining
pared down design and solid wood that
helps differentiate it from the
competition.
‘Emorational implies a range of
products intended to be simple but
powerful, pure in function and spirit, but
attractive to the senses,’ says Alf Martin,
Ethnicraft UK sales manager.
‘The collection is intended to be
timeless and to fit with many styles,
thanks to the absence of stylistic elements
in our designs.’
Most of the designs are created by the
firm’s owners Philippe Delaisse and
Benoit Loos, who founded Ethnicraft in
1995 selling imported handicrafts and
small pieces of furniture from a garage.
Production of their designs began two
years later in Indonesia and it now also
manufactures in Serbia and Vietnam.
Since its beginning, teak has been
Ethnicraft’s bestselling wood globally, but
Martin says that oak is now close to
matching it.
‘Oak is increasing in popularity and

‘Emorational
implies a range of
products intended
to be simple but
powerful’
catching up with teak. A lot of oak
furniture in the UK lacks any wow factor
and has nothing to set it apart. The
natural look is a big element for us,’ he
explains.
In the UK oak has long been the
bestseller. While walnut accounts for the
smallest proportion of sales, there is a
good market for it in the UK, with ‘above
average’ popularity.
‘Our strong point is we have constant
innovation and the designs are new, not
copies or looking like everything else on
the market. It sets us apart from other
ranges so it’s difficult to directly compare
it with other products and prices.’

Products are ordered from the four
factories, of which Ethnicraft is part
owner, 10 to 12 weeks ahead, allowing
the company to offer two week delivery
to the UK. In recent years many pieces
have been introduced in smaller sizes,
specifically to cater for the UK and French
markets.
While rival companies may offer a
multitude of finishes, for Ethnicraft the
natural look is all important. ‘It wouldn’t
make sense to add colours to expensive
woods like teak,’ says Martin. ‘Natural
teak has a warm feel.’ Where colour is
introduced it will be through other
materials, such as MDF door panels.
The collection is on display in 23
roomsets at Ethnicraft’s 17,000sqft
showroom at its northern European head
office in Boom, Antwerp. These are
constantly changed to show ranges with
differing flooring and decoration. This is
also home to its 107,600sqft distribution
centre that can accommodate 120
containers of furniture.

Walnut is popular with the UK market

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Interiors Monthly January 2009

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Exclusive Highlights
The unusual characterises new trends. The high gloss lacquered surfaces in black and white show unique
visual charm. Decorated wardrobe details in a subtle ďŹ&#x201A;oral design emphasise the elegance of this range.
Lagos is strikingly different and therefore exclusive.

44
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See you a

Our claim is quality, innovation and design. This concept has made us very
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Bedroom

ANYTHING GOES
INDIVIDUALISM

Harveys

Choices vary across the country when
it comes to furnishing the bedroom

Consumers create their own style for bedrooms

Oak may dominate dining rooms across
the country, while living rooms have
identikit beige carpets, but bedrooms are
a different matter. Freestanding or fitted;
sets or single items; light or dark? It
seems there is no set pattern.
‘Bedrooms are very important, people
make their space as comfortable and as
beautiful for themselves, even if nobody
else can see the efforts gone into them,’
reckons Lana Filippova, Gallery 22
designer in Hale, Cheshire.
Sales are still a mixture of fitted and
freestanding furniture, dictated by the
size of the room. Most people have large
wardrobes, so they have only a few other
pieces of furniture in their bedroom,
opting for a separate dressing room.
But she adds: ‘TV is more of a
requirement in the bedroom now than
a wardrobe.’

62

Interiors Monthly January 2009

Mikael Berryman, Ikea UK interior
design specialist agrees that the bedroom
‘is the one space in the home where
people tend to be the most daring’.
Functionality is a key aspect because
consumers purchase more and more
clothes even though bedrooms are
smaller. Berryman says the bedroom
suite of our parents’ day is not so much
in demand as people tend to create
their own look out of what works for
them.
However, shoppers at Moon Furniture
in Rochdale, Lancashire are buying
complete sets, according to Thomas
Bradbury, manager.
‘Customers are buying full bedroom
sets for the main bedroom that we
assemble for them in their home. This
gives them the fitted look at a fraction of
the price of fitted bedroom furniture.’

Customers are also buying the odd
wardrobe and bedside cabinet with
perhaps one chest of drawers for the
second or third bedrooms where the
space is usually restricted.
Bradbury says that lighter colours
such as oak, white or beech are popular,
with sales of darker colour sales currently
slow.
‘I think that manufacturers are trying to
push for darker furniture sales, but the
public either aren’t ready for this or they
don’t like it,’ he believes.
‘We are finding that sales of bedroom
furniture are generally holding out well in
these testing times.
‘Our customers don’t like assembling
furniture themselves, so assembling it for
them free of charge is a great selling
point for us, and helps sales of flatpack
furniture a lot.’

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Diversify for Success

Carrick

In 2009, we’re expanding existing collections, such as our bedroom
cabinet, and introducing brand new ranges – living room furniture
and dining suites.
We’re sure this is the right route to take in the current climate – so for
strong sales, why not follow suit?
Check out the new looks at Stands G60 & H64 in Hall 5.
Hebden

WELLE MOBEL
‘It is not about
being the
cheapest, but
enabling the
retailer to gain
the maximum
sales’

After three decades in the UK market, the
Stammschroer brand is to be replaced by
that of its parent Welle Mobel. So why
the change?
‘Since Welle took over Stammschroer
in 2006 the companies have gradually
become as one,’ says Matthew Kutas, UK
agent. ‘In other markets, such as the
home market in Germany, Welle is a
stronger name, as the company was
much bigger than Stammschroer. The UK
customers are already aware that Welle is
behind us, so it was a relatively easy
decision.’
Kutas says there is no change in
direction. In the sectors Welle traded in
prior to the takeover – nursery, children’s
and office furniture – it was known for
producing products from promotional to
the higher end, due to its sheer size, with
a turnover of more than €100m. ‘We see
no reason why the same should not
apply in bedroom products, and all price
levels be sold through the one name.
Welle is a trade brand, not a consumer
brand, and customers understand that
we are a source for a wide variety of
products and target levels.’
Existing Stammschroer ranges will
continue to be made in the former
Stammschroer factory. It will be a
seamless operation for the retailer, with

just the paperwork and POS material
changing to Welle.
The Welle name was introduced to the
UK market a year ago and has enjoyed
success in most product areas,
particularly bedroom and office ranges.
‘It is evident that the British consumer
does not spend as much on a child’s
bedroom as the German public do, and
this is a sector that does not appear to be
so important to the UK retailers at the
present time. We aim to develop this
market in due course,’ says Kutas.
New designs for 2009 include some
developed for UK tastes.
‘We have reintroduced some decorative
door fronts with high gloss lacquered
finishes. This is a modern take of the
trend that put Stammschroer on the map
more than 30 years ago. These designs
have been specifically designed for the UK
market, in colours such as walnut with
black or cream high gloss doors with
chrome fittings.
‘We also have new designs and colours
in our foil finishes, and one or two
innovative marketing ideas. For us, it is
not about being the cheapest, but
enabling the retailer to gain the
maximum sales from its floorspace, yet
making the products easy to understand
for both the salesperson and consumer.’

SEALY
PRESSURE OFF
After four years of research the company
promises comfort and pressure relief

‘There is a problem with all mattresses
that are made today,’ according to Neil
Robinson, Sealy marketing director. ‘In
simple terms, the more supportive a
mattress, the more pressure points are
created, yet the more pressure relief
offered the less support you get.’
To eliminate pressure points, you need
what the Sealy technical team refer to as
‘push back support’ and maximum
pressure relief. It is this combination that
defines orthopaedically correct design
and makes a zonal construction in a
mattress vital.
‘Added to this is a very simple and
logical observation. Our bodies are not
uniform, so why should our mattresses
be?’ he says.
Many highly priced non-memory foam
mattresses with expensive layers of rich
upholstery provide marvellous comfort,
but are sadly lacking in both pressure
relief and spinal support, explains
Robinson, while at the cheaper end of

the spectrum, beds with less expensive
fillings can provide a good degree of
support but compromise on comfort and
pressure relief.
On memory foam mattresses, unless
there are different zones of support they
provide great pressure relief, but very
poor support. Add to that issue of heat.
‘It should also be remembered that socalled “space-age technology” is now
over half a century old,’ he adds.
Robinson says the new Sealy
Posturepedic collection solves these
issues. It features a push back support
system, designed to distribute weight
away from the heavier parts of our
bodies, relieving pressure where it’s
concentrated the most. ‘That translates
into whole-body comfort, all night,
every night.’
Thanks to four years of research,
Robinson says the firm can back up its
claims. ‘We have compiled quite literally
thousands of profiled pressure maps of

Sealy Posturepedic Platinum Cedar Grove

66

Interiors Monthly January 2009

people of every size, shape and weight.
We have analysed the data using the two
key pressure levels that are agreed as
being key by the medical community.
Essentially, below 20mmHG of pressure,
there is a good level of pressure relief for
the body. Above 30mmHG, pressure
points occur on the body that are
sufficient to close blood capillaries.’
Pressing your thumb against the top of
the index finger until the flesh goes white
because the capillaries have closed, is the
equivalent force of 30mmHG or more.
Apart from disrupting your sleep
pattern, tossing and turning also uses a
lot of energy which is why you can, on
occasions, wake up in the morning
feeling more tired than when you went
to bed.
Sealy Posturepedic is designed to
eliminate the tossing and turning caused
by uncomfortable pressure points by a
unique combination of factors.
The collection is built on upgraded
versions of the existing spring systems
and the top of the range models contain
a system of lumbar bars within the
springs to give even greater push back
support for the lumbar regions. Most
models feature an edge guard providing
great stability for the sleeping surface.
According to the company this extends
the sleeping area by six inches. All models
in the range use the hypo-allergenic
Tencel fabric to disperse excess heat and
help maintain body temperature.
The Gold and Platinum collections
boast a seven zone pad containing layers
of memory foam and latex. With different
levels of density across the sleeping
surface, the pressure pads adapt and
conform to the weight and shape of the
sleeper. In so doing, the body’s weight is
dissipated across the sleeping surface,
minimising pressure points and keeping
the spine straight.

VELDA ‘Manufacturing unique
sleeping systems which allow the
consumer to choose the mattress
and base to meet their requirements’
Velda UK, the UK division of Veldeman
Bedding, celebrates is 10th anniversary
this month. In the decade since Ray
Cadman, Velda UK md and Veldeman
formed the joint venture, the company
has operated a careful expansion strategy.
Cadman says growth hasn’t been
rushed, preferring to target ‘blue chip
independents and quality groups’.
This year will see major developments.
Velda UK has recently moved to new
premises in the West Midlands doubling
the size of its showroom and offices. It
aims to significantly expand its
geographic coverage and will launch the
Classic range of sleep products at
Interiors Birmingham.
After continued sales growth in 2008,
Cadman is confident the economic
situation will not have a major impact on
the company. ‘Customers who are
prepared to spend a few thousand
pounds on a quality bed will still spend it
and will be less affected by the present
situation, but you need the right product
and must maintain a high level of
service,’ he says.
It also expects a rise in mattress only
sales as it targets this sector. ‘Most of our

68

Interiors Monthly January 2009

UK sales at present are sets but I believe
we can increase mattress sales because of
the range of mattresses we offer,
particularly our Bodyprint range. There is
a great market out there for mattresses –
the story is in the mattress, it doesn’t
matter if it’s on a Velda frame,’ he says.
Sales are likely to be helped by Velda

having just become an approved supplier
to buying group Minerva.
‘Both Veldeman and I see things the
same way, which is to supply quality
products offering unique features and
high levels of comfort. I suppose I’ve
learned a little about beds in the UK in
the past 30 years, my strength is in
designing products as I did at Cumfilux,’
he says, referring to the bed
manufacturer he set up in 1981 and sold
in 1997. Cadman is also a former
National Bed Federation president and is
a founding member of The Sleep Council.
Development work on new models
begins about six to nine months before
their introduction into the UK, so any
teething problems have been resolved.
Products introduced at Interiors
Birmingham can be ordered at the show
and delivered within three to four weeks.
The new Classic Collection will feature
zoned pocket sprung adjustable and fixed
bases with a range of comfort zoned
mattresses. As with existing models, it has
a ventilation system that allows air to
flow through the core of the mattress
and an optional topper with latex or
memory foam for added comfort.
‘Velda manufactures unique sleeping
systems which allows the consumer to
choose the mattress and base to meet
their specific requirements, upholstered in
their choice of fabric, while giving the
retailer the opportunity of increasing their
sales and margin.’

Velda experienced sales growth last year

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Advertising feature

GU ARDSMAN HOME SERVICES
Guardsman has been offering
professional care and repair solutions
to the furniture industry for more than
20 years. During this period its
technicians have undertaken in the
region of 200,000 home repair visits on
behalf of an impressive portfolio of
clients.
Guardsman has earned a reputation
for excellence in the industry and its
success is firmly based on its
commitment and dedication to offering
high levels of craftsmanship, quality
service, customer satisfaction and
constant innovation of products and
services.
Guardsman introduced aftercare
protection plans to the UK furniture
retail market in the 1980s. Guardsman
Home Services (GHS) was developed
out of the need to service the tens of
thousands of Guardsman furniture
protection plans that are widely sold
by many of the UK’s top furniture
retailers.
The success Guardsman
experienced in servicing its own
customers provided it with the
opportunity to offer its range of
services to prospective clients such as
furniture manufacturers and retailers,
importers, agents and insurance
companies.
The 50-strong team of GHS
technicians are skilled in all types of
furniture repair and are strategically
located to provide full coverage of the
UK and Ireland. Service packages are
tailored to suit clients’ individual needs
and many have chosen GHS to be its
UK call centre. Claims are handled
seamlessly from receipt from the
consumer via the GHS call centre
facility through to complaint resolution.
Guardsman’s vast experience in
managing furniture related complaints
along with our impartiality makes us
stand out among the competition.
The benefits of using GHS include:
I Specialists at in-home cosmetic
leather repairs which keep the furniture
in the customer’s home, and thereby

70

Interiors Monthly January 2009

reduce the unnecessary cost of
uplifting items or replacing parts.
I Fully trained furniture repair
technicians that cover leather
upholstery, fabric upholstery,
wooden/dining furniture and beds.
I A network of ‘Safeclean’ specialists
fully equipped with Organic stain
removal systems.
I An industry leading Internet based
claim management portal that
promotes transparency enabling
clients to log a claim directly on to the
system; monitor the progress of the
claim; send and receive messages and
view completed reports along with
digital images.
I The support of a professional
customer service team whose core
business is to handle furniture related
customer complaints.
I A competitive pricing structure that
provides real value for money.
I The proven ability to resolve
customer complaints as effectively and
efficiently as possible, while
maintaining a balance between
customer satisfaction and controlling
costs.
I The ability to give independent

assessments and recommendations
for fault responsibility.
I Our core business is to resolve your
complaints so that you can
concentrate on your core business of
selling furniture.
I Our flexibility and commitment to
constant improvement provides our
clients with outstanding service levels
and impressive first visit fix rates.
With Guardsman’s outstanding
reputation in customer care behind us,
GHS can offer brand protection for
your company and peace of mind that
your customer will be treated with
respect, courtesy and professionalism
throughout their claim journey.

For a review of your customer service
needs or information on how Guardsman
Home Services can solve your furniture
repair puzzles, please contact:
Andy Earnshaw on 07980 894435 or email
guardsmanhomeservices@valspareurope.com

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Protection

PRO-TECHS
SILVER SERVICE
The protection programme provider
is expanding its warranty offer

Consumers who buy protection and
warranty products need to know that if
they have to claim, it will be dealt with. If
the backer of the policies isn’t around to
fulfil the promises, the retailer will face
the wrath of the shopper and spend time
and money resolving the problem.
A major international insurance group
is backing protection firm Pro-Techs’
revised range of Staingard branded
products to be launched at Interiors
Birmingham.
‘At a time when economic uncertainty
dominates the thoughts of many
businesses, the confidence inspired by
expertise in warranties provides us with
the platform to extend our already
successful offering to a wider
audience,’ says Paul Aiston, Pro-Techs
sales director.
He explains that in the current business
climate, more and more customers are
taking a long look at their suppliers to
ensure that they can offer long-term
financial stability. To this end the
company has developed a range of
furniture programmes for retailers that
are sensitive to the prevailing economic
conditions, while still offering a
comprehensive protection package for
consumers.
‘I have no doubt that our new
programmes and our experience and
expertise will enable us to expand our
growing portfolio of quality furniture
retailers,’ says Aiston.
The firm has a track record of quality
service and retailer support, along with
the support and backing of major
financial institutions which will give
retailers confidence in the stability and
longevity dealing with the firm brings,
he says.
Underpinning the range of furniture
protection programmes are care products
from Staingard and Leather Master.

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Interiors Monthly January 2009

Accidents happen and Pro-Techs’ products help clear them up

Staingard fabric protector is the only
protector product in the market to
contain silver, according to Aiston.
‘Staingard Silver brings together the latest
developments in anti-stain technology
and combines it with silver to create a
fabric protector with superb resistance to
oil and water based spills,
as well as wide ranging anti-bacterial,
anti-fungal and anti-viral effectiveness.’
The precious metal’s ability to combat
infection and keep water and clothing
fresh has long been known. In ancient
times silver was often used for the control

of infection and the reduction of
spoilage. In the 18th century silver coins
were dropped into barrels of water on
board ships to keep the contents fresh.
Staingard Silver’s spill repellency works
continuously to keep fabrics cleaner and
fresher for longer than before and, he
adds, is engineered to provide
continuous anti-bacterial protection for
the useful life of the fabric, giving peace
of mind.
The company has also revamped its
UK customer service centre to offer
improved support.

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THE ONLY PLACE FOR
FLAT PACKED FURNITURE
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So much more than flat packed furniture
Our furniture is supplied to you in easy to assemble boxes, which saves
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. dynamic bedroom furniture . vibrant dining room furniture
. commercial occasional furniture . innovative flat packed sofas and chairs
A comprehensive service with no minimum order, full e-tail support,
home delivery if required and straightforward trade pricing.

MOLTENI & C
CAPITAL COOL
The Italian upholstery and cabinet firm
has opened a flagship store in London

Nine windows open up the interior of the store

Molteni & C Dada has just added to the
furniture landscape of London by
opening a flagship store on Shaftsbury
Avenue.
The 4,300sqft store follows similar
outlets in Paris and Madrid, with stores in
New York and Singapore next.
Created by Studio Cerri & Associati, the
store is distinguished by the architectural
use of light. Nine wide shopwindows and
an illuminated wall emphasise the
internal perimeter of the shop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elements
that highlight the products and the
space.
Items on display from its latest
collections include the Turner sofa by
Hannes Wettstein and the Doda armchair
by Ferruccio Laviani beside the Quake
tables by Arik Levy; Diamond table by
Patricia Urquiola and the 505 modular
system by Luca Meda.
The company also recently celebrated a
collaboration with British fashion designer
Vivienne Westwood to create limited
edition upholstery in Squiggle fabric.

Architectural lighting illuminates the products

74

Interiors Monthly January 2009

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Names you can rely on.
All your furniture protection needs from
industry leading professionals.
Contact pro-TECHS to discuss how we can support your
business on 08700 17 40 40 sales@staingard.co.uk.

Or visit us in Hall 4, stand E28

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Rugs

KERSAINT COBB
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Moving into rugs has brought success by
making life easier for stockists and consumers

Entering a new market area at a time of
economic uncertainty is always a risk,
especially if the situation promptly gets
worse. But Kersaint Cobb’s move into
rugs, targeting the independent retailer,
has brought success.
Mike Richardson, general manager says
he is delighted with the introduction of
the collection, first seen at the National
Floor Show in September.
‘It is with the independent retailer in
mind that we have launched this
collection, and by offering our rugs in
one size, 1.2m x 1.8m, it is a clear
focused offer which is easy for both
retailer and consumer to understand and
provides excellent value for money
purchases.
‘We want to take the hassle out of
shopping for everyone, and in these
challenging times anything we can do to
make the shopping experience more
pleasurable and less stressful the better,’
he says.
At the core of the 44-design range is
the company’s distribution strength,
offering next day delivery to most areas
of the UK, and its in-store display stand
using sample blankets means retailers
don’t have to hold stock.
As well as backing the range with
display and delivery, it has also invested
in the marketing of the collection with its
website and brochure.
The company has revamped its
kersaintcobb.co.uk website with new
images and detailed information about its
broadloom collection of more than 255
natural floorings. Consumers can browse
all ranges and request samples or receive
its new brochure in the post.
With a comprehensive stockist finder by
postcode, shoppers can find their nearest
retailer and as a bonus it also identifies
which retailers are showing the new rug
collection.

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Interiors Monthly January 2009

Next day delivery is offered to most areas in the UK

‘We think all of these points
will help deliver genuine
interested customers into our
retailers, and if they come
armed with samples and a
clear idea of which product
will suit their home we have
more chance of that interest
being turned into an order,’
says Richardson.
The company has long
invested in PR to ensure
coverage of its collection in
the home interest titles.
‘This work is invaluable in
continuing to inspire
consumers into looking for
new ways to freshen an
existing home or style a new
one, and with a decrease in
new home sales in recent
times we strongly believe the
“re-style your home”

features will be very much a part of these
titles for 2009,’ he says.
‘I am sure that the features will offer
the best ways to save money for
consumers, but often this does not
always mean buying the cheapest, I think
we will also see ideas of investing in
better flooring as ways to further
insulate a home and thus save on
heating bills. Titles such as House
Beautiful will take further steps to offer
eco-friendly based products and the
majority of “natural flooring” lends itself
toward this. We will be working closely
with our manufacturers around the world
to further develop ideas in this market.’
Richardson says that the company
enjoyed a strong trading finish to 2008
and hopes to carry this into this year,
but warns that – in common with all
other companies that import – prices are
set to rise.
‘Although we are buoyed by the
performance at the end of last year, sadly

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Interiors Monthly January 2009

Boxes

we cannot avoid the issues caused by
global currency performances against the
pound which will result in some severe
price rises for the start of next year. While
we cannot ignore the general gloomy

feel from the media, we can inject our
own personality into what we do and
offer and we will continue to seek out
new and stylish products and bring some
sunshine into 2009.’

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UNCOMPROMISING

IVC
BORN AGAIN
Following its acquisition of the Domo designs, IVC will
have one of the largest vinyl ranges on show at Domotex

IVC’s purchase of the Domo ranges last
October combined two of the largest
collections on the market.
At Domotex IVC will debut three UK
ranges: Woods, Stones and Luxury Touch.
Woods and Stones will be available in the
Matchgrip quality while Luxury Touch has
the superior Maggiore construction.
‘Each of these three ranges has
retained the bestsellers from their
previous lives and has been matched
with new designs in luxurious wood and
stone effects, both in traditional and
contemporary styling. There is something
for everyone,’ says Ortwin Top, IVC
marketing manager.
IVC will also introduce the Stepper
luxury vinyl tile collection, which comes
in four different qualities with a peel and
stick backing for ease of installation.
IVC has maintained the full Domo
collection that will be on display at
Hannover (17-20 January). According to
Top, this will be the situation for at least
six months.
‘No changes to the Domo line up of
cushioned vinyl products are planned for
the first half of 2009,’ he says.
The Durango (above) and Venturi designs (below)

80

Interiors Monthly January 2009

81_IM_0109

22/12/08

HF
50%
extra
space to
display
new
lines

13:30

Page 81

Heartlands Furniture
Wholesale Ltd
Extra
special
show
offers
These offers cannot
and will not be
repeated !!

FROM 1st MARCH â&#x20AC;&#x2122;09
Selected items from all best selling ranges will be available on a fantastic 28 day FastForward delivery
from 1st March 2009. Visit our stands at The Furniture Show to find out more.
MORRIS
A6/HALL 5

G PLAN CABINETS
E22/HALL 4

CABINETS

RELAXATEEZE
A6-B8/HALL 5

ZONE
B8/HALL 5

Relax
eeze
COMFORT IN ACTION

Z NE

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Preview

LAS VEGAS
TALK SHOW
As well as more than 5million sqft of products,
the show can teach visitors a few things

Visitors can learn from the seminars at Las Vegas

Learning may not be an expression
associated with Las Vegas, in contrast to
say, gambling or ‘This show is huge, I
need a new pair of shoes,’ but there are
plenty of opportunities to pick up some
good advice at next month’s Las Vegas
Market.
As well as having more than 5million
sqft of exhibition space (12million sqft
when it is finished), the event features a
series of seminars, to be held on the 16th
floor of World Market Center’s Building B.
In The Forecast: Colour, 9 February
10am to 11am. Leatrice Eiseman,
Pantone director will present a forecast of
colour trends inspiring the home sector.
He will discuss the key colours for 2009
and preview one of the most directional
furniture palettes.

The Forecast: Trends for the Home,
10 February 10am. Michelle Lamb,
trend forecaster and The Trend Curve
editorial director will present her colour
forecast for 2010, then talk about the
décor directions design enthusiasts need
to know. Her presentation will
incorporate many colourful images
including up to the minute photographs
taken from the Winter 2009 Las Vegas
Market.
In The Forecast: Lighting for the
Home, 11 February 10am. Lighting
expert Randall Whitehead will cover the
art of lighting – the good, the bad and
the ugly. Visitors will learn how lighting
can influence a space positively and
negatively, enhance colour and texture,
emphasise depth or dimension and

combine comfort with drama. Whitehead
will share his best practices in energyefficient lighting solutions for indoor and
outdoor living spaces.
Other events at the show include the
Brave New World Environmental
Leadership Series, the Business Survival
Series and Designer Days. Western Home
Furnishings Association is offering an
Educational Series in the Retailer Resource
Centre.
Visitors to the exhibition (9-13
February) can book discounted hotels
rooms through www.lasvegasmarket.com
and receive a 5% discount on Virgin
Atlantic flights by booking through:
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/
en/gb/specialoffers/lasvegasfurniture.jsp?
WT.mc_id=uk_las.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

83

WS_DENNISON dps

31/12/08

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Page 84

W.S.Dennison Ltd
for Furniture Distribution in Ireland
Established in 1979 with a work force of
only 2 employees (William Dennison and
Liam Taggart who continue to be the back
bone of this family run business). From this
we have grown and developed the work
force in this our specialist field. With a
purpose built office and warehousing
space in Antrim and to ensure fast,
efficient service.
With a fleet of over 50 vehicles from
hi-cube trailers for hi-cube collections
to sprinter vans for home deliveries all
specialising in one thing â&#x20AC;Ś FURNITURE

In our 20,000 square foot warehouse we
receive over 20 trailers weekly from
mainland England and currently over
10 containers directly from the rest of
Europe.
We are conveniently based beside major
ports of Belfast and Larne with excellent
transport links to the rest of the UK and
Ireland. The benefits of our service are
suitable for full loads right down to a
single item, delivered to a private address.

WS_DENNISON dps

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Page 85

Home Deliveries Direct (Ireland) Ltd

• Any item of furniture delivered to anywhere in Ireland • Guaranteed two man delivery
• All home deliveries pre-booked by ourselves • Delivery to room of choice
• Unpack and removal of packaging (On request)
• Installation and disposal service (On request) • Full Online tracking system
Unit C6, Annacotty Business Park, Annacotty, Co.Limerick, Ireland

Tel: 00353 61337636

Fax: 00353 61337637

e-mail: keithwsd@eircom.net

What we can offer:
■ Secure collection from anywhere in the UK or Ireland
■ Delivery to anywhere in Ireland
■ All goods in transit are monitored by tracking systems offering track
and trace for customers
■ A complete service including specialised warehousing, quality control,
customer care and data on delivery performance.
■ Liaising directly with each retailer or private customer
■ Exclusive warehousing facilities with a cost effective storage option
and 24 hour security
■ Our personal service means that customers can contact us directly
with any queries on collections and deliveries
■ All home deliveries are handled by two persons
■ Guaranteed delivery to any part of Ireland with in a maximum
of 10 working days from date of collection.
■ Employees trained in assembly of flat packed furniture

86_market_IMJAN

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Page 86

Marketing

PLAN NOW
BE FIT FOR PURPOSE
Preparing your marketing calendar for
the year ahead will bring real benefits

New Year, new starts and New Year’s
resolutions: this is the time to focus on
the positive and push ahead with your
business plans. If the market (inevitably)
gets tougher – then only the businesses
with the healthiest position will survive.
Health, however, does not necessarily
mean lean.
Start the year by considering objectively
where your business is today, and where
you would like it to be. Ideally set a goal
for the next three to five years. If that
seems too far to even consider, try the
next 12 months.
The ideal situation is to have a
destination, because only then can you
plan the journey.

What’s happening outside?
Evaluate your sector, your customer and
marketplace. Try to do a little crystal ball
gazing. How do you think things will
affect those elements over the next 12
months. How can you plan your
promotions and push around that? What
essential events, such as a general
election, could happen that make a
difference, and what is your reactive plan
if it does? Pre-planning for such events
can lead to some of the most impressive
and impulsive marketing promotions.

Praise your competition
It’s relatively easy to console ourselves
that our work is better than rivals.
However, if they are trading reasonably
they must be doing something right. You
may have to look at their positive
attributes to understand what you can
do – and this does not mean just
replicate it. Understanding competitors,
where they sit in the marketplace and
performing a basic SWOT (strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats)
analysis on them will not only assist with
your positioning but offer the

86

Interiors Monthly January 2009

Put the investment and work in to gain the benefits

opportunity for your growth and
expansion.

Time to diversify?
It’s said that ‘if you always do what you
have done, you’ll always get the same
results’ and in this climate – it doesn’t
always prove an easy theory.
Look laterally at your business – at the
space, your staff, indeed your model.
What can be done in addition to your
usual business, using the same facilities?
Can you offer different products and
services – think of the whole customer
journey?
What stages does the customer go
through in terms of the purchase and
how could you offer the additional
service/product?
Once you have got the contact with
the customer, which can often be the
hardest part of the deal, then it is
opportune to maximise on the value.

Pre-planning
Advance planning will really help you to

understand your own business and when
you need to consider promotions and
leverage. In committing to your plan and
budget in advance your teams will have
the opportunity to plan and capitalise on
the efforts. Your costs will be set in
advance, and if you pre-book media or
promotional activity in bulk, there is a
good chance of a discount.

Be different
It can take guts and vision to be the first,
but breaking through with a product,
service or fashion can be a huge enabler.
It can also be just what the market is
crying out for. No one ever really believed
that you would double the costs of the
standard investment in a vacuum cleaner,
and there certainly wasn’t a great deal of
excitement in the purchase process for
one. But James Dyson certainly changed
that.
Kate Hardcastle is founder of Passion brand
and marketing consultancy
www.passionmarketing.co.uk

Stand out from the crowd
and have a say in the
future of your industry
The NICF covers all types of flooring including
carpet, laminate, luxury vinyl tile, timber and sheet
vinyl fitting, and are the driving force behind raising
standards of floor covering installation.
By supporting the NICF and becoming an active
member you can have a voice in the future of your
chosen industry along with all the other benefits you
see listed below:
• Enhance your company image
• Free listing on the NICF website and broaden your
opportunities for work
• Free business support helpline with Croner Consulting
• Technical advice line
• Great discounts on FITA training courses
• Discounts on quality workwear and tools
• Keep up to date with industry news with Free subscriptions
to Stocklists and the Contract Flooring Journal
• Free newsletter

Grants and holiday
contributions from the FTBA
have topped £15,500 since
August. Among the latest
people to receive help was a
former-upholstery machinist
trying to survive on sick pay
after being diagnosed with
breast cancer.
Having her own transport is
vital to make the daily 34-mile
round trip to hospital for
radiotherapy treatment. The
charity has paid for her car’s
MOT and donated £430
towards household bills.
‘Her story is sadly all too
common,’ says Nigel Blake,
FTBA interim chief executive.
‘The worries of dealing with
something like breast cancer
are enough on their own
without having all the
attendant financial problems
that can follow in its wake.
She has been extremely
concerned about falling
behind with her bills and
getting into debt since she
was forced to take sick leave.’
Meanwhile, the Scottish
FTBA raised £3,000 at its
annual dinner. ‘This year we
will be donating about
£33,000 to members in need
of financial help – made
possible through events such
as this and the generosity of
everyone concerned,’ says
Christina Traynor, SFTBA
president.

There’s nothing we like more
than good design, and when
it’s combined with a quality
tipple, it’s definitely a winner.
Alessi has teamed up with
Peroni to create a range of
homewares linked to food and
drink. Only 100 Mirri ice
buckets have been made, until
it goes on general sale next
April. The Ron Arad designed
Chringuito bottle cooler can
balance on the edge of a table
while the Marli bottle opener

If last month’s IMM Cologne and Heimtextil trend features whetted your
appetite for more trends, you might want to visit the new DesignVision
show on trendease.tv.

looks good enough to be
used as a brooch. And in case
you get peckish, the Miriam
Mirri designed Aperitivo Love
Bowl is perfect for early
evening nibbles.

Full house

Really cool Chringuito

It was a full house at the
British Contract Furnishing &
Design Association’s industry
lunch, with 500 members and
guests congregating at the
Dorchester Hotel, London.

Bensons employees celebrate at
Wembley Stadium after being hailed
as winners from each of the
company’s sales regions. Karen
Critchlow from the Rotherham store
won a trip to South Africa with KymCheri Hayes, who worked at the
Hull Debenhams concession and
Roy Davis (Colchester) won a
European break, while three others
will enjoy a weekend in London.

Entertainment answers

Easy

90

Which just goes to prove that
it’s not all doom and gloom.
Bisley Office Furniture’s
Tony Brown was presented
with the association’s Lifetime
Achievement Award. This was
in recognition of his
contribution over 48 years in
steering Bisley to become the
largest UK manufacturer and
exporter of storage products
and expanding the company
from 45 employees to more
than 900.